Iran Launches Week-Long Straits Of Hormuz Naval Drill On Friday, Next To US Aircraft Carrier

Iran Launches Week-Long Straits Of Hormuz Naval Drill On Friday, Next To US Aircraft Carrier

With the market still hopeful of some deus ex resolution to the Fiscal Cliff will take place in the last few trading sessions of the year (one where the market itself will not have to be the catalyst for such a resolution, because once the selling starts in earnest, who knows if and when it stops, hence the loading up on prodigious amounts of puts), here is Iran out of left field, adding yet another unknown variable to the inequality, announcing that it will begin six days of naval drills in the Straits of Hormuz on Friday.

In other words a one year flashback deja vu, as Iran held a similar 10-day drill last December, when everyone was expecting an imminent escalation out of the endless Israel-Iran foreplay and was analyzing which were the new moon days allowing Israel unobstructed access to the greatest distraction of all - Iran's nuclear facility being moved under a mountain: a catalyst which Israel repeatedly said is the only reason to attack a weaponizing, nuclear Iran, and which took place some time in 2012.

Now that the official window of opportunity is closed, will Israel tone back on the aggressive rhetoric? Hardly: after all that is precisely why the Syrian "outlet valve" has been put in play over the past 6 months.

Re: Iran Launches Week-Long Straits Of Hormuz Naval Drill On Friday, Next To US Aircraft Carrier

Next To US Aircraft Carrier

The Iranian military will start naval exercises in the country's southern waters on Friday, Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said. The six-day maneuvers will be held in Strait of Hormuz, Sea of Oman and northern Indian Ocean and will cover an area of one million square km, Fars news agency quoted him as saying on Tuesday.

Re: Iran Launches Week-Long Straits Of Hormuz Naval Drill On Friday, Next To US Aircraft Carrier

What? Again? Them Iranians really like to show off don't they?

Quoting: Anonymous Coward 14505884

Iran runs a few of their war machines around in their own territory while their 6 biggest-mouthed neighbors are actively interfering in other countries through funding and covert operations and only Iran is accused of causing unrest in the area. Hypocrisy at it's finest.

[link to www.naharnet.com] (in part)The six Gulf states sharpened their tone against their Shiite neighbor Iran on Tuesday, demanding an immediate halt to its "interference" in their internal affairs while urging a rapid political transition in its ally Syria.

Concluding a two-day summit in Manama, the Gulf Cooperation Council members voiced support for Bahrain's Sunni minority regime while lashing out at Tehran, which they accuse of fueling a Shiite-led uprising in the host country last year.

In a joint statement, the GCC countries said they "reject and denounce" Iran's "continued interference" in their internal affairs.

They added that Tehran must "immediately and completely stop these actions and policies that increase regional tension and threaten security and stability".

The six states -- Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates -- also condemned Iran's "continued occupation of the three Emirati islands" of Abu Moussa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb, which lie in the strategic Strait of Hormuz entrance to the Gulf.

In addition to the dispute over the islands, relations between Iran and most GCC states have been further strained since Gulf troops rolled into Bahrain last year to help put down the Shiite-led protests.

The regional powers have also taken opposite stances towards the Syrian crisis. While Tehran has openly supported President Bashar Assad's regime, GCC members Saudi Arabia and Qatar have called for arming rebels fighting regime loyalists.

In their Tuesday statement, the GCC monarchies expressed "deep sadness over the continued shedding of blood by the regime and the destruction of cities and infrastructure, making political transition a demand which must be rapidly implemented."

They also urged the international community "to make a quick and serious move to end massacres" in Syria and provide humanitarian assistance to the people. (end quote)

How about the international community demand fair and open election in those 6 nations before listening to anything they have to say?